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Abstract

This article proposes that reviewing the aesthetic concept of yi is conducive to an understanding of the creative process and the nature of creativity in calligraphy and in wider Chinese aesthetic discourse. This article divides the yiin calligraphic creation into two types – the voluntative yi that refers to the calligrapher’s intention, and the cognitive yi that denotes the “idea” within the artist’s mind. The voluntative yi is further divided into two aspects – youyi (being intentional) and wuyi (not being intentional). The discussion on the cognitive aspect of yi will engage with Yu-Kung Kao’s understanding of the term as the mouldable substance in the mind.

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